Food Plants International

534
Names
English: Native cardamon Scientific name: Hornstedtia scottiana (F.Muell) Retz.
Tok pisin: Golgol, Gorgor Synonyms: Elettaria scottiana F.Muell.
Tok ples: Plant family: Zingiberaceae
Description: A perennial ginger family plant. The
stalks reach up to 1.5-4 m high and have a swollen
base. The leaves occur one after another in two rows
along the main stem. The leaf blade is 60 cm long and
12 cm wide. The edges of the leaves are softly hairy.
The leaf sheath on the stem is about 13 cm long. The
leaves are shiny and smooth on top and dull
underneath. The midrib has a dent inwards on the top
surface and the veins go off at 30° angles. The flower
is a cone like structure up to 12 cm high at the base of
the plant. The flower grows without a stalk and near
ground level. The flowers are white and the flower has
overlapping bracts. The outside of the lower bracts is
red. The seeds are 2 mm across and they are grouped
inside casings of the cone. The red bracts hide these
casings. The pulp around the seeds is edible.
Distribution: It is a tropical plant. A rainforest species. It is common in the lowland rainforest
in the tropics. It is very frost tender.
Cultivation: Plants can be grown from seed or by division of the rhizome.
Production: The flower can be broken off the underground stem or rhizome and the seeds and
sap are sweet and cardamom like.
Use: The seeds are edible.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible
part
Moisture
%
Energy
KJ
Protein
g
Fruit 42.0 912 4.0
Insects:
Diseases:
Pests:
Calcium
mg
Iron
mg
proVit A
µg
proVit C
mg
Importance: A common plant in lowland regions and occasionally sucked for the sweet sap.
Zinc
mg